At first, when I went into private practice, I just didn’t think I would be able to earn enough to cover expenses, house rental, and the living expenses associated with a wife and two kids, so, on my wife’s recommendation, we took what little we had and threw a party, invited everyone I could think of, and then I got a call the very next day from a potential client, and everything went up from that point. My wife always preached, “Do your traveling as soon as you can, because you never know what can happen that would prevent traveling in the future.” Good advice because today, due to a physical condition, I can’t go very far from home.
The weather was miserable, and Maxine had developed a bad cold, so, I suggested let’s go someplace warm like Hawaii. She thought it was a great idea, but being a lot smarter than I, she said “let’s go when I feel better.” Another good idea. After some research, she talked me into Mexico instead. It was at the tail end of winter, approaching April, and plans were made: destination Mexico City; then grab a rental car and go west through Cuernavaca, to Tasco, and then up to Acapulco. Acapulco was very popular in the 60s, but has faded as of today.
Off we go. We were a couple of real greenhorns. Mexico City sits on the top of a large plateau about a mile high. We arrive, cab to the hotel, seeing a lot of poverty in the streets. When shown our room, the concierge opened the glass door and exhibited the balcony, which overlooked the rooftops of the various structures surrounding the hotel. All the rooftops had either a bunch of chickens or goats or people living on the rooftop space. Went out for dinner at our usual time, around 8:00PM. Not a good idea. The wait staff was a little stunned to see us at that time and no other diners were there. Lesson One: find out the local customs when one travels before one leaves on a trip. Mexico, like Spain, and other Latin countries, they siesta in the afternoon, have small bites, or tapas, in the early evening and wouldn’t be caught dead in a restaurant before 10:00 PM at the earliest, and 11:00 or 12:00 midnight is very acceptable.
The city itself is beautiful and architecturally beguiling, but, for us, not so hot. One day, while walking and sightseeing, who do I see but Marvin Part and his wife, like us, desperately seeking something familiar. Marvin was a co Deputy DA in the LA office at the same time as I, but I don’t think we were particularly fond of one another. “Marshall!” he hollers, and “Marvin!” I yell, and we grabbed each other in a bear hug like we were long lost family We spent the day together viewing various sites and planned to meet again in Acapulco. Frankly, I couldn’t wait to get out of Mexico City and Max felt the same. So, we cut the visit short and started the drive across Central Mexico in a rental car.
First stop Cuernavaca, a town known to be populated with many second homes for wealthy Mexicans. Well, it was disappointing, as one cannot see very much, as the haciendas are all enclosed by surrounding walls, preventing any real viewing of any structures of significance. So, travel on to Tasco.
The road west was two lanes, open range at the time, (the 60s,) with cattle everywhere, including on the road with occasional people walking on the side with visible machetes in their hands. Not pleasant. Arrived late afternoon in what had been described as a quaint village famous for the silver mining industry. One arrives, and sees the town is built on mountains rising above the prairie type of landscape below. The streets leading up to our hotel which was located at the top of the village did not wind up the hill, but weaved back and forth with severe right and left-handed turns. Because of the sharp turns, driving was slow, and the car was surrounded with street urchins begging for handouts. Found the hotel. got our room, noted the warning about dangers, such as theft etc. and be sure to keep everything locked. Walked around, viewed the gold-trimmed churches among the poverty, had dinner at the hotel. Not sure what it was, but was told it was steak, but I thought it might be something else like mule or donkey meat. Went to bed and were greeted by a cacophony of noise which came from the local dogs that barked all night long until dawn, when the dogs started to sleep and the donkeys started braying. We got no sleep that night and were soon off to Acapulco
Same type of road, same type of cattle grazing everywhere, same gangs of workers with machetes and the same type of malaise for us.
We went through various areas and ended up driving up a grade, and when we reached the crest of one of the tops, I saw one of the best views I have ever seen which was the magnificent, striking bay of Acapulco shimmering from the sunlight reflected by its waters,
Down from the top to the city itself, to the wonderful hotel, “El Presidente,” located in the middle of the village, the best spot, right on the bay. We went “American Plan,” which means meals included, and the room was great, large and with a view of the mighty Pacific Ocean. The meals were very good. Music played during lunch poolside, all Latin songs, our very favorite, with weather, warm and comforting. Met Marvin Part and his wife, and he was with a third party, a big time defense attorney, David T, who with car, allowed us to travel beyond the immediate area to a beach just north of the city where locals, for a small fee would go into the water, ride the huge waves, and fight the heavy undertow, while our group was drinking the local favorite, “Coco Locos” (rum mixed into half a coconut) Got hammered, but survived. Just a great time, and returned many times thereafter. One of the managers would write me and ask for a list of goodies for his grandmother, including a third baseman’s mitt. Never had trouble getting a room and sometimes an upgrade. I also remember lunches right on the Bay in local BBQ stands, fish locally caught shortly before, magnificent. Returned several times thereafter until I ripped my foot in the local plaza, and thought I should get a tetanus shot. The way it works: you go see the local doctor who gives you a prescription which you take to the local pharmacia, get the serum, return to the doctor’s office and the doctor’s nurse injects the serum. It turned out when I returned home, I had an awful reaction with burning in my body. My regular doctor told me they gave me horse serum and I could die or be paralyzed if the pain enters my joints. It didn’t and I recovered,
Marshall
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